Overall, the industry clocked a 4.4% increase in sales at same-store sales, a closely watched gauge of stores open more than a year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. That's notably ahead of ICSC's 4% forecast, which was just raised on Tuesday.

"This is great stuff," said Richard Hastings, retail analyst at Bernard Sands LLC. "It shows again that you can't bet against the consumer. All the stories about higher gas prices and inflation are widely overblown."

As calculated by Thomson First Call, the aggregate climbed 4.3% compared with a forecast of 3.6%.

The broadly based strength repeated a theme that's been played again and again this year: Teen-wear and luxury retailers turned out robust -- even stellar, in some cases -- sales as customers bought merchandise at full price.

On Wall Street, shares of most retailers finished the day solidly higher on the news. See full story.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Leading the pack, Abercrombie & Fitch Inc.
ANF, -2.34%
blew away even the best of expectations, with a 31% leap in same-store sales that was more than double the average forecast as compiled by Thomson First Call. Its stock closed up $2.42, or 4.5%, $56.27.

Wet Seal Inc.
WTSLA
turned out an eye-popping 47% jump in same-stores sales that handily beat the First Call-derived average of 32.4%.

Chico's FAS
CHS, -0.21%
again proved that its strategies were working, tallying a 17.9% increase in same-store sales that were far better than the average forecast calling for 10.1% growth.

At Cache Inc.
CACH, -16.47%
sales well outpaced Wall Street's expectations despite the retailer's caveat that the hit from Hurricane Wilma pared 2% to 3% from sales. Cache turned in an 11% increase that was above the 7% forecast.

Mike Niemira, chief economist of the ICSC, said last month's sales actually benefited because of three major hurricanes this year: Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Pent-up demand following Katrina and Rita helped on one hand, while stocking up ahead of Wilma drove sales on the other, he said.

Hastings credited the industry as well for what are mostly blow-out results. "Whenever we fear that the consumer is going to be hesitant, the industry responds with better merchandising, better inventory levels and better presentations to offset macroeconomic concerns," he said.

Department stores strong

With one notable exception, the department-store segment performed well in October, led by Dillard Department Stores.

The exception was Federated Department Stores Inc.
FD
which blamed hurricanes for missing expectations with a decline in same-store sales by 1.6% compared with an estimate of a rise of 0.9%.

Nordstrom Inc.
JWN, -1.63%
delivered its usually strong performance, knocking out a same-store sales increase of 6.4% that was above the 3.9% estimate.

Saks Inc.
SKS, +0.29%
which this week said it has sold off its moderate-priced stores, reported a 4.6% increase compared with expectations of a 1.2% gain. Saks Fifth Avenue stores offset declines in the moderate-priced stores with a 10% jump in comp-store sales.

Gap Inc.
GPS, -1.51%
which has reported a string of disappointing numbers, even managed to eke by with better-than-expected results. In total, the company's three concepts and international division said same-store sales declined 5% instead of the drop of 5.3% expected at First Call.

Old Navy was no help, however, falling 6% into the red while Gap stores came in slightly better than expectations, backtracking by 5%. Banana Republic was off 8% and the international division fell 9%.

Of course, there were those that missed the mark, most glaringly Wilson's the Leather Experts
WLSN
Same-store sales plunged 17.4% -- far off from the 7.2% gain expected at First Call.

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